Game apparatus



Feb. 13, 1934. T. J. DIXON GAME APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 0 NW W 1 H mm \nw u? ww u, a QWA N wk Wm w% M m mm W w.@\\\ as 9 m N E. NNLF w w n M Q Feb. 13, 193 "r. J. DIXON 6 1,946,616

GAME APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 dam.

Feb. 13, 1934. T. J. DIXON 1,946,615

GAME APPARATUS I Filed April 25, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 III-1....

Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATETJ OFFICE 17 Claims.

My invention relates to amusement devices that depend upon human skill and accuracy of the eye when tossing or throwing balls into said devices. Primarily the invention has for an object to provide an apparatus that is relatively simple and economical in construction and is so designed that it can be knocked down or taken apart in the simplest possible manner, quickly, thereby facilitating packing, change of location, re-assembly, etc.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character stated that can be made in various sizes from a small one where small balls are used, to a large one where balls of the size of base balls or larger may be employed.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character referred to above in which repairs and replacements can be made quickly and at nominal cost.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character above referred to in which the main parts of the apparatus are arranged in units for convenience of assembly and dis-assembly and for convenience in shipping.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention...

Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the target end of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the head unit.

Figure 5 is a perspective view, part sectional, of one of the targets.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the counting rack stop mechanism.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 77 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of the head unit.

Figure 9 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the score sheet stand unit.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the ball return receptacle and ball release mechanism.

Figure 13 is a detail perspective view of the joint of two sections of runways.

Figure 14 is a vertical longitudinal section of co the automatic counter in a modification of my invention. a

Figure 15 is a similar view with the part shown in Figure 14 at a lowered position and a ball being released.

Figure 16 is a horizontal section taken on the line 16--16 of Figure 14.

Figure 17 is a detail cross section taken on the line 1717 of Figure 14.

Figure 18 is a detail perspective of a part of 7c the counting rack in my preferred form showing means for identifying the different racks.

In the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures,

1 represents a base having a square or angular 75, socket 2 for the reception of the pedestal column 3, the latter being preferably hollow or recessed at its upper-end to receive the shank 13 of the inside step which also serves to hold the head unit 4 on the pedestal 3. The head unit is of 89, box-like form having an open front 5 provided with hinged side doors 6 and top and bottom doors 7 and 8 respectively, the doors being connected by flexible foldable corners 9, and there being suitable stays 10 employed for holding the doors in their open position, the doors when in their open positions constituting a funnel-like entrance to the chamber of the head unit.

The casing of the head unit has a square hole 11 in its bottom through which the shank 13 of 90. the inside step block 12 may projectfor purposes hereinbefore mentioned.

The step block 12 is provided with a set of target partition slide grooves 15, and the topof the casing may likewise be provided with corresponding grooves 16, the steps of the block 12 being grooved transversely of the block as at 15 and pitched to one side of the head box where they register with suitable openings 24 constituting ball outlets in the side of the head box.

l7 designate suitable target frames which carry flexible elastic sheets 18 having graduated openings 19 of gradually decreasing diameters from the target nearest the front to the target nearest the back of the head box. The head box may be provided with a suitable door 20 which enables the introduction and removal of the targets at will, the door 20 being provided with retaining hooks 21 that engage the hook stops 23, and the door being preferably hinged as at 22.

The targets, it will be observed, are spaced apart to provide a series of spaces throughout the depth of the head box, the number of spaces corresponding to the number of grooved steps 15 On the back Wall of the head box there is mounted a bull's eye gong 25 which is provided with a suitable hammer 26 that is adapted to be struck by the ball entering the bulls eye for the purpose of ringing the gong.

Preferably I provide one or more auxiliary gongs in the bulls eye chamber which, in the drawings, are numbered 27 and 28, these gongs being attached to be hit by the ball in its travel through the bulls eye chamber, there being suitable ball runways 29, 30, and 31 provided and guards 32 to deflect the ball in a zigzag path from alignment of the bulls eye of the target to the ball outlet opening 24 of the bulls eye chamber.

The foregoing constitutes the target unit of the apparatus, the target unit being composed of a head unit and a pedestal.

The next unit consists of a counting rack 33 stepped at 34 and provided with ball runways 35 registering with the ball outlets 24 of the head box. The counting rack steps 34 have their runways 35 concave to direct the balls from the outlets 24 to the return runway section 36.

In order to hold the balls from entering the return runway section 36 until the count has been ascertained, a stop bar 37 is provided which is mounted on suitable hinged links 38 to be movable up and down, the bar being held down in the path of the balls on the steps of the counting rack 34 by a return or holddown spring 39 and designed to be elevated to release the balls by means of a pull cable 40 and crank 41 operated by a handle lever 42, later again referred to. When the bar 37 is in the elevated position the balls in the stepped runways 35 are free to pass into the ball returning runway section 36 from which they pass along the main sections of the return runway to the score sheet stand and ball retainer which constitutes the third unit of my apparatus, the parts numbered 33 to 39 inclusive constituting the second unit of the apparatus.

Suitable dowels 43 and attaching hooks 44 are used to connect the counting rack steps 34 to the head box 4.

The third unit of my apparatus comprises a score sheet stand base 46 similar to the base 1 and provided with a square opening to receive the standard 4'7 that carries the sheet table 48, the latter having a shank 49 to fit into the upper end of the standard 47, which standard has a socket 50 to receive the shank 49.

The standard 47 has a ball return receptacle or chamber 51 into which the balls from the runway 45 are delivered and in which they accumulate until released by the operator, there being a ball release gate 52 provided through which the balls may be delivered into a receiving cup 54 after being released from the receptacle 51. There is a connection 53 between the handle lever 42 and the ball release gate 52 so that when the handle lever is operated to release balls from may be taken by the player.

Suitable dowels 55 and hooks 56 connect the several sections of the runways 36 and 45 together and to the standard 47.

' In Figures 14 to 1'? I have illustrated a modifi-' cation of my invention in which there is provided an automatic counter located between the counting rack 34m and the return runway, and in this embodiment of the invention the counting rack if desired may be made short since it is not required to perform a counting function, that function being automatically performed by the counter unit now about to be described.

The counter unit comprises a housing 57 in which is vertically movable a basket 58 provided with a number of chambers 58cc corresponding in number to the number of ball outlets 24. The counter basket is provided in each compartment 58a: with a stop spring latch 60 to engage with stop recesses 61 in the housing 57 when the basket shall have been lowered by the weight of a ball to its proper position. As seen in Figure 14 the spring end-receiving recesses 61 are all located on the same level while the false bottoms 60zr of the chambers, on which bottoms the springs 60 are motmted, are slightly stepped to compare with the stepped outlets of the box front 5. Therefore a ball passing from the highest outlet of the target box will enter the righthand chamber 58x (Figure 1'') while the ball passing from the lowest outlet box will enter the left hand chamber 582:. The inlets 57m in the side of the housing 57 (see Figure 17) are stepped to correspond to the outlets 24- of the box 4 while the outlets 57y are all of substantially the same level (the grade of runway 45). Hence it follows'that a ball in the left hand chamber 58a: will cause basket 58 to move downwardly only a slight distance before the spring 60 in that compartment will have its free end (left hand end in Figure 1'?) brought into position to enter its recess 61 while a ball in the right hand compartment would carry the basket 58 down to its farthest position before its spring latches.

This difference in movement gives the extremes of movement of the counter belt 69. It should, of course, be understood that the spring 60 is released to unlatch the basket as soon as the ball resting on it in a compartment passes out onto the runway. If there are any balls in the other compartment of the basket only the lowest ball passes out. The basket will be moved down until the next higher ball registers and discharges, and so on. 'As'soon as the spring 60 is released by the ball passing out the basket rises to its zero position. If should be understood that one end of the spring 60 is made fast (right hand end of Figure 1'7) by welding it to the bottom 600:, while the other end of the spring remains free to be projected into 61 when the weight of the ball flattens out the springt should also be understood that after each ball enters the basket, lowers it to the proper place and then leaves it, the basket is retiuned to the zero position by the counterweighted lever 62 62 is a counterweighted rocking lever which is connected to the basket 58 by a suitable suspension 63. A ratchet wheel 64 is mounted on a shaft 67 and on the same shaft is mounted a pawl lever which is movable together with the counterweighted rocking lever as one and which has a pawl 66 to engage the ratchet wheel "64. The ratchet wheel may have its ratchet teeth'in the nature of gear teeth '71 which mesh. with a pinion 68 on the shaft of one of a pair ofcounter wheels 70 around which the counter belt 69 passes. A back check pawl 72 is provided to cooperate with the ratchet wheel and the back of action normally by a spring 74 but pulled into position to lift the pawls 72 and 66 from the ratchet by means of an operating cable system '75 connected by the operating handle 42 in lieu of the connection 40 in the first embodiment of the invention. The pawl 72 has a pin 72a to engage under pawl 66 wh n in the position shown in Figure 14.

76 is a belt return spring which always, when the counting mechanism back check pawl is re leased, returns the belt to an initial position where its stop '77 engages a fixed stop 78 to bring the zero mark on the counter belt in line with the window 79 in the housing 57 of the counter.

When the balls are delivered into the pockets or compartments of the counter basket 58, they will fall upon the stop springs 60 causing them to straighten out and project their ends 80 into position to enter the stop recesses 61 associated with the respective compartments, these recesses being located so that'the balls may cause the basket to move downwardly a distance suificient to bring the proper indicator number on the counter belt opposite the window of the counter casing as before described. After each set of balls :rm have been pitched and counted the player or attendant moves the lever 42 to release the counter and enable it to return to its initial position ready for the next set of balls.

The lower door 8 of the head unit is prefer- I ably inclined downwardly inwardly so that any balls which drop on it will gravitate into the first or zero compartment of the head and not be counted.

The target sheet 18 is preferably made of sheet rubber, leather, canvas, silk or some soft strong material which, when the balls strike it, will cause the balls to be immediately dropped down into the compartment or pocket in front of the struck target so that the balls will not bounce back or out.

In the practical use of the apparatus the player stands near the score post 47 and pitches or throws preferably five balls at the bulls eye target. The balls pass through the target and roll out onto the counting rack (first embodiment of the invention) where they are stopped by the bar 3'? acting as a gate, the bar being provided, if desired, with suitable number plates 81 giving the values corresponding to the various steps so that the value of each shot or ball played can be immediately checked up or read.

By referring to the first embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that while ten balls are being used only five are really in play. The balls in the cup 54 being the ones to be played while the five balls previously played are collected in the receptacle 51. As soon as the five balls in play are played they will be collected on the counting rack and then by operating the handle 42 the previously played five balls may be released into the cup 54 while the five balls left are played and released from the counting rack into the return runway and collected in the chamber or receptacle 51.

The compartment with the smallest opening counts the most and the one with the largest opening counts the least.

The bulls eye opening, i. e. that of the inner target, is preferably covered by a fiap 82 between the opening and the gong, the flap being hinged on the top side. When a ball strikes this flap it passes through the bulls eye opening and strikes the hammer of the first gong. If other gongs are present it will in turn strike as it gravitates to the outlet opening 24 corresponding to the bulls eye chamber of the head unit. The gongs may or may not be of different tones as desired and any suitable number of the gongs may be employed as desired.

The players repeat the process of play until the required number of frames are played. The winner is the one scoring the highest number of points.

The apparatus may also be used as a prize attraction, so many shots being given for a stipulated amount.

The operation of the second embodiment of the invention difiers from that of the first embodiment principally in the fact that the total number of points scored in the play may bevregistered on the counter since the attendant need not release the counter at each ball played but may wait until all balls have been played, since the counter basket will be raised to its initial position each time a ball leaves by reason of the counterweight on the rocking lever 62.

The illustrated embodiments of the invention are the preferred ones though it is obvious that other types of supports may be used than the pedestal type and various modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

If desired the doors of the head unit'may be padded to eliminate noises, and other minor alterations of this character may be made al found desirable in practice. a

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit having a plurality of compartments with ball outlets, a counting rack adjacent said outlets and including stepped runways one for each ball outlet, a ball hold-back adjacent said rack to retain the balls in the runways thereof, a return runway into which the balls from said rack are delivered, means to operate said holdback to release the balls from said rack to said return runway, the runways of said rack being open to exhibit the balls thereon to the player, and a ball collecting and retaining stand to which the return runway delivers the balls.

2. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit having a plurality of compartments with ball outlets, a counting rack adjacent said outlets and including stepped runways one for each ball outlet, a ball hold-back adjacent said rack to retain the balls in the runways thereof, a return runway into which the balls from said rack are delivered, means to operate said hold-back to release the balls from said rack to said return runway, the runways of said rack being open to exhibit the balls thereon to the player, and a ball collecting and retaining stand to which the return runway delivers the balls, means cooperating with said stand to hold back collected balls, and means connecting said operating means with said last named hold-back means.

3. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit having a plurality of compartments with ball outlets, a counting rack adjacent said outlets and including stepped runways one for each ball outlet, a ball hold-back adjacent said rack to retain the balls in the runways thereof, a return runway into which the balls from said rack are delivered, means to operate said holdback to release the balls from said rack to said return runway, the runways of said rack being open to exhibit the balls thereon to the player, and. a ball collecting and retaining stand to which the return runway delivers the balls, means cooperating with said stand to hold back collected balls, and means connecting said operating means with said last named hold-back means, whereby the collected balls at the retaining stand are simultaneously released with the release of balls from the counting rack.

4. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit comprising a box having a set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a ball outlet for each compartment, means adjacent said box to receive the balls from the outlets, a return runway to which said means delivers the balls, said means including a ball counter.

5. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit comprising a box having a set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a ball outlet for each compartment, a counting rack adjacent said box to receive and retain the balls from the outlets, a return runway to which said rack delivers the balls, a ball collecting receiver to which said balls are delivered by said return runway and means for releasing the retained balls from the rack for delivery to the runway.

6. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit comprising a box having a set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a ball outlet for each compartment, means adjacent said box to receive the balls from the outlets, a return runway to which said means delivers the balls, said means including a ball counter, a ball collecting receiver to which said balls are delivered by said return runway.

'7. In game apparatus of the character de scribed, a target unit comprising a box having a set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a ball outlet for each compartment, means adjacent said box to receive the balls from the outlets, a return runway to which said means delivers the balls, said means including a ball counter, and means adjacent the player to reset the counter.

8. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit comprising a box having a 1 set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a ball outlet for each compartment, means adjacent said box to receive the balls from the outlets, a return runway to which said means delivers the balls, a counter located between said box outlets and said return runway, a ball collecting receiver to which said balls are delivered by said return runway, and means adjacent the player to reset the counter and simultaneously release the balls from the collecting receiver.

9. In game apparatus of the character described, a target comprising a box, an inside step block and targets removably mounted within the box, the targets corresponding to the steps of the step block and dividing the box into a plurality of chambers, the steps of the block serving as the bottoms of said chambers and being pitched to deliver balls therefrom through individual outlets in the wall of the box and a correspondingly stepped counting rack at the side of the target to receive the balls from the individual outlets and exhibit them to the player, and player controlled means to hold the balls on the counting rack.

10. In game apparatus of the character described, a target'comprising a box, an inside step block and targets removably mounted within the box, the targets corresponding to the steps of the step block and dividing the box into a plurality of chambers, the steps of the block serving as the bottoms of said chambers and being pitched to deliver balls therefrom through individual outlets in the wall of the box, a correspondingly stepped counting rack at the side of the target to receive the balls from the individual outlets and exhibit them to the player, player controlled means to hold the balls on the counting rack, and foldable doors for the front of the box, and means to hold said doors open as an entrance funnel.

11. In game apparatus of the character described, a target comprising a box, an inside step block and targets removably mounted within the box, the targets corresponding to the steps of the step block and dividing the box into a plurality of chambers, the steps of the block serving as the bottoms of said chambers and being pitched to deliver balls therefrom through individual outlets in the wall of the box, the targets having openings of progressively lessening diameter from the outermost to the innermost target, the latter being the bulls eye, a flap flexibly mounted over the bulls eye at the inner side thereof, and a gong in the box behind the flap.

12. In game apparatus of the character described, a target comprising a box, an inside step block and targets removably mounted within the box, the targets corresponding to the steps of the step block and dividing the box into a plurality of chambers, the steps of the block serving as the bottoms of said chambers and being pitched to deliver balls therefrom through individual outlets in the wall of the box, the targets having openings of progressively lessening diameter from the outermost to the innermost target, the latter being the bulls eye, a flap flexibly mounted over the bulls eye at the inner side thereof, a gong in the box behind the flap, and other gongs in the bulls eye compartment of the box for cooperating with the ball in passing from the bulls eye opening to the outlet opening of the box.

13. In game apparatus of the class described, a target unit comprising a box divided by a set of apertured targets into a plurality of compartments, and means in each compartment for delivering the balls therefrom through outlets in one wall of the box; a counter rack unit removably secured to said target unit and having a set of ball ways for holding back the balls on the counter rack unit; a return runway to receive balls from the counter rack unit and deliver them to a position adjacent the player, and a ball reservoir into which the return runway delivers; and player actuatable means to release the balls from the rack unit at will into the return runway.

14. In game apparatus of the class described, a target unit comprising a box divided by a set of apertured targets into a plurality of compartments, and means in each compartment for delivering the balls therefrom through outlets in one wall of the box; a counter rack unit removably secured to said target unit and having a set of ball ways for holding back the balls on the counter rack unit; a return runway to receive balls from the counter rack unit and deliver them to a position adjacent the player, and a ball reservoir into which the return runway delivers; and player actuatable means to release the balls from the rack unit at will into the return runway, and a receiving compartment located adjacent the player into which the return runway delivers the balls, said player actuatable means including mechanism for releasing the balls from said compartment.

15. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit having a plurality of compartments with ball outlets, a counting rack adj acent said outlets and including stepped runways one for each ball outlet, a ball hold-back adjacent said rack to retain the balls in the runways thereof, a return runway into which the balls from said rack are delivered, and means to operate said hold-back to release the balls from said rack to said return runway, the runways of said rack being open to exhibit the balls thereon to the player.

16. In game apparatus of the character described, a target unit including a box having a set of apertured targets, dividing it into a bail outlets, a return runway located with its receiving portion adjacent the outlets of said receiver and onto which all receiver outlets discharge, said receiver including a counting mechanism for the balls passed through the receiver from the target to the return runway.

17. In a game apparatus of the character described, a target unit comprising a box having a set of apertured targets dividing the box into a plurality of compartments, the box having a separate ball outlet for each compartment, the outlets being arranged in stepped formation, a, return runway, means interposed between said runway and the stepped outlets of the target box in virtue of which the balls may be counted after they leave the box and before they enter the runway, and means to retard the movement of the balls to the runway until the balls shall have been counted.

THOMAS J. DIXON. 

